In a lab dish, Yale researchers modeled two brain structures and their interactions to shed light on the origins of neuropsychiatric diseases.

In-Hyun Park, associate professor of genetics, and his team created an organoid of the thalamus, a major hub that integrates sensory information and relays it to different areas of the brain. Organoids are created from stem cells to mimic brain areas and assess their function. The lab was interested in the thalamus because it has been implicated in several psychiatric disorders. The thalamic organoid was then fused with an organoid of the frontal cortex, the seat of higher cognitive function.

"Right now we are trying to utilize the thalamic organoid to study epilepsy, autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia and even depression. With many of these diseases, people have found that there are some defects in the coritco-thalamic connectivity, as well as microstructural changes in the thalamus."

By creating organoids from cells taken directly from patients, the specifics of the structural changes underlying each disease could be discovered and personalized treatments developed.

This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no
part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

E-mail the story

Note

Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose.
The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Medical Xpress in any form.

Your message

Newsletter sign up

Get weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox.
You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third parties.

Your Privacy

This site uses cookies to assist with navigation, analyse your use of our services, and provide content from third parties.
By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy
and Terms of Use.